I've just sent the White House this email.
Dear Mr. President and Vice-President,
It’s not often that we Americans get to exercise our democratic rights — once every four years, when we vote for the president, or the mayor, or when we vote for a member of Congress.
But now we can all do something about the biggest issue of the day: the fact that our troops are dying in Iraq.
We can let you know we want our troops out of Iraq immediately, by emailing the White House, which is what I’m doing now.
Consider this email a vote from an American citizen — perhaps my most important vote ever. I represent a majority of the American people who want our boys and girls out of Iraq right now. In case you haven’t gotten the message from the American people, you’re getting one now. Expect many more.
I’m sending this message because I owe it to myself to exercise my democratic right and let my voice be heard. I owe it to my country, and I owe it to our troops.
In case you need a few good reasons besides the voice of the majority of Americans, here they are.
1. Our troops have done enough dying already. More than 2,300 of them are dead and lost forever to their families. Many more thousands have been wounded and rendered handicapped for life.
2. Our troops have done all they can to bring democracy to Iraq. The Iraqi people have voted for their representatives. Their representatives are putting a government together. Our work is done.
3. Our troops are not making us safer by being in Iraq. In fact, they are making the world more dangerous — by breeding more terrorists. They're not confronting terrorism by being in Iraq; they're inspiring it.
Article comments
1 - ryan
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah.
2 - JP
I don't agree with the position, but I give it a lot more credit than Ryan appears to.
Although maybe Ryan's just laughing at the idea that the White House cares what we write?
3 - Diamond
It is about time to bring our troops home , enuff damaga has been done, every single time a soldier dies all of their family and friends get hurt.This is gonna create a bad depression.If everybody looses a family member or a friend in war, well this is gonna backfire on the GOV. people are gonna turn againts them.
4 - Dave Nalle
And don't forget, those email addresses work just as well for those of us who care about the people of Iraq and about neutralizing terrorism and protecting America.
Dave
5 - Arch Conservative
Or maybe we could all say we sincerely want our troops to come home and then when push comes to shove and we're given the opportunity to vote for them to come, not do so, like the Dems in Congress did.
6 - boinkie
Ummm....wouldn't it be better to email the terrorist leaders?
After all, Osama and Sadam saw Blackhawk Down and figured the infidel would run away when things got tough, so decided they could attack at will...
And, as someone who has been thru a "civil war" (check my blog) and now see the terrorist that the west left win starve and terrorize his people, might I remind you that letting evil men win and take over governments will save US troops, but in the long run, more people will die...as any Vietnamese refugee or Cambodian or Zimbabwean or Bosnian or black Sudanese or Congolese could tell you...
7 - JP
AC, i suggest instead we wait for someone in the opposition party to make a suggestion, then call a vote immediately because we think it's politically helpful to us if we get a "Roll call" immediately, and then blast the oppositon party afterwards for not having any ideas.
8 - Howard Dratch
Adam. I applaud your view and your courage (or innocence). Sadly, from the way the country has been going these past years, you may be spied upon, discriminated against or given a free trip to the sunny Caribbean islands -- there is, I hear, a little resort on Guantanamo Bay.
When I was young they offered me a free trip to Southeast Asia with free clothes, food and toys. We did not all respond as the GOV wished. Luckily we didn't have the Internet to leave tracks in the sand with our opinions on them. Wait until America thinks about a return to freedom and be careful.
9 - Dave Nalle
Howard, name one US citizen who has only criticized the government in speech or writing who has been sent to Gitmo. Name one.
Dave
10 - JP
Dave, most people sent to Gitmo aren't named publicly.
11 - Dave Nalle
JP, that's a load of crap. The Red Cross has had access to them and knows who's being held there. Not one of those currently being held is even a US citizen, much less on picked up for sedition or something silly and unconstitutional like that. Don't defend Howard's ridiculousness just because you hate the idea of Gitmo or because you hate the administration. In the past you've shown at least some sense.
Dave
12 - MCH
"And don't forget, those email addresses work just as well for those of us who care about the people of Iraq and about neutralizing terrorism and protecting America."
And in what way do words help the Iraqi people, neutralize terrorism and protect America?
13 - Dave Nalle
Words influence policy, MCH. That's what this entire post is about. There are, of course, other things you can do to help - such as donating money to charities which do work in Iraq. I've done some of that. Have you, MCH?
Dave
14 - Mark Saleski
about neutralizing terrorism and protecting America
where this breaks down of course is the idea that what's going on in iraq has anything to do with either neutralizing terrorism or protecting america.
15 - JP
Dave, I'm not saying there's evidence of policy critics being sent to Gimo; however, it took a recent Freedom of Information Act filing to have some of the names released. When things are done in secret, perhaps you are inherently optimistic; I am a little more skeptical.
16 - MCH
"Words influence policy, MCH."
Tell that the the families of the 500,000 Americans killed in World War II, Nalle. They'd be happy to know that their brave loved ones died in vain, considering they could have opted to write macho letters instead of actually serving.
17 - Valery
boinkie # 6
Speaking of evil men,it's a well known fact that the US slaughtered millions of Vietnamese and hundreds of thousands of Cambodians.
18 - Dave Nalle
JP, I've written at length here on blogcritics about the unacceptable nature of detainment at gitmo.
I may have a relatively positive take on some administration actions, but as a matter of principle, the gitmo situatiopn needs to be resolved.
Dave
19 - mike
let those who sit in gitmo burn in hell, we are not responsible for foreign scum
20 - Bennett
mike, meet Dave.
21 - Dave Nalle
Bennett, read my post referenced in #18 or stfu.
Dave
22 - JP
Mike, your patience and understanding is admirable. You're my hero!
Dave, nice article--I do notice that the latest seems to be that several hundred names have been released but a couple hundred more have not. No surprise there. I agree with your disdain for the members of the UN HR coalition, but I'm not sure I'm entirely on board with your comments about due process as related to international law and the Geneva convention (if I am interpreting you correctly): "This should be done as a courtesy or an act of compassion without any implication that they have any right to any of these considerations."
Granted, you mention previously that due to their presence on US controlled soil, we should give "some basic semblance of due process." We can consider it a courtesy, but you fully well know that Al Jazzera will notice (and publicize) if we do not take the same "innocent until proven guilty" approach with these prisoners that we do with prisoners in the mainland.
I just think we have to be careful in our treatment and our consideration of prisoners such as these until we can prove their guilt. It's not like we have a stellar track record when it comes to capturing "the right guy."
23 - Jake
I dis agree with Bush, he is putting our country in his personal matters, The U.S. is causing our own problem's I'm disapointed in our country to let Bush continue on with his rampage
24 - Kathy Konrad-Eads
My son is serving now and is very unhappy. He has talked to his commander about this and told him he would like to get out. He is having trouble keeping his mind on what he is doing. He is so depressed I am afraid he may do something foolish. They have now sent him to Death Vally for more training and he had called home everyday telling his family that he can not take another humans life. Is there a way he can get out?
25 - crysty
Our two sons are in the Military, they both have been to Iraq whithin a year apart.We were just recently told that our youngets son who is 21 had gotten news that he didn't have to deploy to Afghanistan. Unfortunately, he just got told a couple of weeks ago that he does have to go now. He is newly married and will have a new baby arriveing right after he leaves, and that is October 2009. The baby is due in Nov.2009. My husband and our family are very angry that his hopes were up to be home and now that has changed, I just am also angry because when he first went in the service he stepped up to the plate for another guy because the Sargeant asked if anyone would take his place so he could be home and be with his wife and be there with the new baby, My son volunteered to take his place and went to Iraq in his place, He sacraficed his life for another, Now my sons Seargeant tried to do the same for him but they will not let him stay. I see that there is no Corardary, and everyone is out for themselves, I know that the Lord will bless our son for what he did for another. It is very sad though that you are only a number and the Government owns you. This has disgusted out family and I think that the Afghanistan war is a waste! The Russsians new enough to leave, yes! and these are the bases that our young men and women occupy, I know that the terrains and the grounds are not capable of trying to get around and I think it is more dangerouse than Iraq! Also, I just heard today which is Monday Oct 5th that 8 of our brave men died!! How horrific. what Is wrong with this new General Krisoferson or however his damn name is spelled! Sory but I don't have a good feeling about him, and I voted for Obhama but I am starting to wonder if he can make a decision? I thought he was an intelligent man and I am starting to wonder? I just want the troops to all come home and let that Afghanistan country take care of themselves. They don't want us there anyway, and they are asking for money from our country now! what does this tell us? The good old U.S.A always giveing a handout,! Even sacraficeing young soldiers that are brave yet so unsafe and it has gone on long enough. The veterans of the Vietnam war were even in Washington this past weeke-end voicing there opinions and they believe this war should stop and our troops should come home. Thank You for listening to me I am just a very scared and sick mother that wants my baby's home. NOW!!!!